PowerPoint Presentation (148kb)

Teaching Business English for Teaching Business English for Academic Purposes. Academic Purposes.

The Education of Business.The Education of Business.

Pauline Brazier, M.A. Pauline Brazier, M.A.

Jeanne Spoeri, M.AJeanne Spoeri, M.A..

Technical Support, Patrice Sargenti

Aims

• Share reflections on our practice;

• Include findings from case study material;

• Enable group discussion.

Presentation Overview

1. Introduction and context

2. Concerns

3. Solutions

4. Discussion groups

• English-language university English-language university

• Specialized in businessSpecialized in business

• Located in French-speaking MonacoLocated in French-speaking Monaco

1. Introduction:

• 45 different student and professor nationalities

• Majority of non-native speakers with English as the common language

• UndergraduateUndergraduate• MBA/postgraduateMBA/postgraduate• Exchange Exchange • Study AbroadStudy Abroad• English as a Second LanguageEnglish as a Second Language

Programmes

• ESL IntermediateESL Intermediate Eng 0001Eng 0001

• English Skills: Academic PreparationEnglish Skills: Academic Preparation COMM1000COMM1000

Pre- Undergraduate Courses

•Reading and Composition Reading and Composition COMM1001COMM1001

•Public Speaking Public Speaking COMM2002COMM2002

•Professional writing Professional writing COMM2003COMM2003

•Academic Research Academic Research COMM3004COMM3004

Communication courses are sequential and compulsory.Communication courses are sequential and compulsory.

Undergraduate Courses

Graduate Courses

Business CommunicationBusiness Communication •Full-time one-year MBAFull-time one-year MBA

•18-month Executive MBA18-month Executive MBA

•MSc Financial EngineeringMSc Financial Engineering

Privileged Academic RelationshipPrivileged Academic Relationship

Small classes - 6 to 15Small classes - 6 to 15

Enables:Enables:• Peer interactionPeer interaction• Student-teacher interactionStudent-teacher interaction• Teacher-teacher interactionTeacher-teacher interaction

2. Concerns

Obvious ones!

– How to effectively teach business English?

– How to engage and motivate students?

Student Needs• Appropriate entry level?

• Student development and progression?

• Expectations?

• Pluralistic needs – how to differentiate?

• Native/non-native speakers?

• How quickly can English/Communication skills be learned?

Context

Whose English?

Whose culture?

Interaction

Non-English environment

Content and Syllabus• What content?

• Which materials?

• How?

• Balance between communication and language

• Coherence and consistency

3. Solutions:Coherent and Consistent Faculty Approach

• Teacher communication and collaboration;

• Shared goals;

• Shared and objective assessment criteria;

• Planned recursive learning

Implications for staff stability: curricula

review and development

2. Explicit Structures and Clear Parameters Encourage Student Independence.• Attendance compulsory• Class Guidelines • Syllabi

– assignments + assessments

Student Developed Criteria and Peer Assessment

Objective Assessment Criteria

Interactive Methods• Actively encourage student participation and

collaboration;

• Open door policy and informal student-teacher relationships;

• No punishment for errors, and errors are constructively corrected.

In COMM1001, I first thought “I’m not going to open my mouth.”

Tasks Encourage Active Learning

• Needs identification and target setting by students.

• Hands-on sessions

• Using English for real purposes;

• Interesting/Motivating– Make explicit language needs in relation

to business and academia;

– Simulate business situations.

Varied Grouping• A variety of tasks which demand a variety of groupings

within classes:– Pairs; threes; small groups/large groups;

– Split students of the same language after initial sessions;

– Mix of gender;

• Establish peer response partners for some assignments;

• Enforce speaking in front of the whole class during the first session – kinder than waiting!

Peer Collaboration

Encourage:• Joint composition;

• Joint editing, correction and revision;

• Student construction of grading criteria, grading and commenting on presentations – constructive criticism.

Regular Homework Assignments• Linked to, and apply and consolidate class work;

• Individual; paired and group;

• Cross –curricular; linked to other subject requirements;

• Varied outcomes: range of written formats and oral presentations;

• Compulsory to meet deadlines - or not graded!

• Weighted highly: 40% of course grade.

Explicit Feedback by Return

Progressive Teacher Modeling

Teacher highlights for self-correction and refers to grammar tasks

Students highlight own errors, identify language needs and set targets

Peer collaboration and feedback

Implications for Teachers

• Establish a conducive learning environment;

• Promote understanding and respect for different cultures, needs and abilities amongst the student group;

• Establish a cooperative rather than a competitive environment

And your practice?Small Groups (20-minute discussion)

• Choose a focus for discussion

• Select moderator

• Select secretary– To record key points on the handout and return to presenters for

compilation

• Reconvene as a large group (10-minutes)

• Moderators give 1- minute summary of key points

Pauline Brazier and Jeanne Spoeri, Communications Professors, I.U.M.

www.monaco.edu